Proposal
by rlsefromtheashes
Summary: Trucy and Apollo get along just fine. But Phoenix never imagined that they got along this well! What's he to do when Apollo asks for Trucy's hand in marriage? Spoilers for Apollo Justice. Might contain spoilers for games 1-3 later on.
1. Big News

My first submission! Hope you like it. And remember not to take any of this seriously.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Ace Attorney series.

* * *

"Daddy, look at this!"

Phoenix's daily newspaper browsing was interrupted by a white blur thrust into his vision. Once his eyes had a chance to focus, he recognized his own daughter's gloved hand a few inches from his nose. But there was something different about it today, he realized as the lines grew crisper. Something shiny was wrapped around her finger. Wait a second…!

"T-Trucy…" Phoenix managed to stammer. Despite his shaky voice, he still managed to keep a calm expression on his poker-trained face. "Is that what I think it is…?"

"Uh huh!" Trucy bounced up and down, all smiles. Her grin seemed as if it would never fade away. "It's an engagement ring, Daddy!"

Phoenix tried his best to smile at her, even though he couldn't shake a queasy feeling of his stomach. _My little girl's really grown up._ He looked at the glistening rock on his daughter's ring finger once more, thoroughly impressed by its size. "So who's the lucky gentleman, Trucy?" he said, grinning deviously.

"Guess!"

Phoenix rubbed his chin in mock curiosity. He decided to have a little fun before learning the man's name. "Hmm…is it...Klavier?"

"Pfft! Ew, no way!" Trucy let out a loud giggle, bouncing with more energy to prompt another guess from her father.

"No…?" He let out a pained chuckle as he thought again. Even though something deep in his gut was telling him that this wasn't the time to be smiling, he decided to go along with her little game. "Maybe Machi?" he ventured.

"Nope."

"Mr. Kitaki?"

"Nuh uh."

"Mr. Stickler?"

"You're thinking too far into it, you know," she chided with a wide grin. She took a step back, letting a sly smirk sneak its way onto her lips. Then she said it.

"It's Apollo!"

It took a few moments for Phoenix's grin to fade into a frown. He caught himself before allowing his jaw to drop open, though.

"Wh…Who…?" He almost whispered, eyes puzzled and mouth dry.

"I'm sorry for not telling you, Daddy, but…Polly and I have been going out for the last several months, and…well…we decided that it was time." She was still smiling, but it looked a little apprehensive; probably because of the dumbfounded look on her father's face. "Oh you should have seen him last night, Daddy. I mean, normally you'd think he'd be too shy to propose in a public park, in front of hundreds of people, but he took me there, knelt down, and proposed! It was so sweet!"

"I'm nineteen years old," she continued when Phoenix failed to muster a reply. "I know it's not the _best_ age to get married. But the two of us have full-time jobs now! And Apollo…Apollo's getting some really good cases, so I'm sure we'll be all right." She tilted her head slightly as she awaited Phoenix's reply.

"…U-um…" Phoenix cleared his throat shakily and touched the top of his beanie with his free hand. _Why me…?_ He sighed uneasily. "I-it's great you two are…in love…but I…"

Trucy tentatively covered her mouth with her hand. "But what?" She looked utterly confused.

Another sigh from Phoenix. "N-never mind." He used all his willpower to muster one more smile. "I'm happy for you, sweetie."

When she rushed forward and embraced him, he barely felt it. Nor did he hear anything she was saying as she sat down beside him and began explaining the wedding plans. He could only think of one person. One person he'd have to explain this all to.

Oh _crap_.

* * *

I think you can all guess who Phoenix is thinking about. Poor guy.

I promise I'll try to make it funnier. Remember, this is only the beginning!

I apologize for the short chapter. Hopefully they'll get longer as the story progresses! Please review; it'd really help boost my confidence. Thanks for reading!


	2. Heads Up

Whoo hoo! I finished this chapter sooner than I thought. Thank you for all the wonderful comments. They really help!

A fair warning: this chapter might be a bit weird.

* * *

"It has been quite a while, Mr. Wright. I can't imagine why you'd suddenly call me all the way out here to discuss something with me. Usually we speak by phone." She sipped her tea gracefully as she studied his troubled face.

"I'm sorry, Thalassa. But this is something I have to tell you in person. And it couldn't exactly wait." He twiddled his thumbs nervously against the smooth wood of the Eldoon noodle stand counter, unable to look at her face just yet. True, he could think of a few more appropriate locations to meet her than a run-down ramen shack, but since Mr. Eldoon was off for the day, Phoenix deemed that the stand was a convenient private meeting place.

"It's about your children," he began carefully.

"Yes, I thought it would be. Are they doing all right? They aren't hurt, are they?"

"No no, they're perfectly safe and healthy."

"That's good to know." Her gentle, unknowing smile was making Phoenix nauseous with guilt. "So tell me. What has happened to our children that you couldn't wait to tell me?"

Phoenix took a deep breath and closed his eyes briefly. He had to just say it. Say it quickly. Say it! _Another deep breath_-

"They're getting married in two months."

Phoenix winced and turned his head away, waiting for the explosion of furious tears and screams of anguish and disgust and for her to slap him across the face and ask him what the hell was he thinking when he allowed something like this to happen.

But he waited for a full ten seconds before opening one eye and nervously glancing at Thalassa's face. To his great relief she didn't have an arm raised ready to smack him. But that didn't mean he was out of trouble just yet.

"_What_?"

When she spoke, it wasn't with her normal, dulcet voice. It was something else entirely. It was as if someone had ripped out her vocal chords and replaced them with a combination of Apollo's hoarse screeching and April May's devil-like screaming. Phoenix wasn't prepared for it, and could do nothing but gape at her angry expression.

She glared at him threateningly, obviously expecting more explanation.

"W-well, apparently," He was shaking so violently he almost fell off the tall stool he was sitting on. "…they've been dating since August. But I had no idea! Trucy just told me yesterday - "

"Oh, ho ho!" This was turning into some bizarre, fiendish nightmare. Never before had Phoenix seen Thalassa's usually kind face distorted into such a furious frenzy of rage. "So you're telling me that for five whole months, you never suspected in the _slightest_ that the two of them were a couple?"

"They're always together anyway, so I didn't notice anything unusual…" Phoenix racked his memory for any signs from Trucy or Apollo that might have indicated a romantic connection…Well, lately, they _had_ been spending a lot more time investigating together, but he'd always thought it was because Apollo was gaining more fame and was simply receiving more cases. He now scolded himself for being so ignorant.

Thalassa sighed exasperatedly. "Men are absolutely useless…" She took a moment to regain her composure (well, at least tried her best to conceal the devilish look she'd had on her face a moment ago), brushed a stray lock of brown hair out of her eyes, and turned to Phoenix again. "So. You know what we have to do now, right?"

Phoenix stared, then slowly shook his head. He hadn't the faintest clue what she was thinking.

"Is it not obvious?" She leaned in mysteriously, meeting his face at eye-level. Then she whispered menacingly.

"We have to stop the wedding."

Phoenix's blue eyes widened in astonishment. "How do you intend to do that? I'll admit, that sounds like the simplest solution, but - "

"Then what else are we supposed to do? We cannot just tell them that they're brother and sister now. They'd never believe us. And if they did, they'd never forgive us."

_Right_, he thought. _Do whatever it takes to wreck the happiest day of your children's lives, but don't tell them the truth. Phoenix, you pillar of virtue. _

He sighed and kneaded his eyes. Sure, he wanted to do all he could to prevent an incestuous marriage, but he still couldn't shake the feeling that stopping the wedding would be a sin in itself. And when he realized that Thalassa's idea really was the only choice they had, he felt like stabbing himself for letting it get this out of hand. She was right (however frightening she seemed to him now). They had to stop the wedding from taking place.

_Without_ raising Trucy and Apollo's suspicions.

"Again, how do you plan on doing this?" He looked at her expectantly with half-lidded eyes. He was recovering from Thalassa's disturbing outburst, slowly but surely.

"The first thing I can think of…" Her voice was gradually becoming more peaceful, but there was still an edge of anger to her tone. "…is to find a reason for them to break up."

Phoenix sighed and rubbed his forehead. This was not going to be fun.

* * *

I never did like Thalassa…XD

Anyway, I thought it'd be interesting to give her the whole split personality thing that Dahlia Hawthorne and April May had. Just going for originality here.

And I know it seems that Phoenix's character has switched from his laid-back attitude to his former "naïve and easily flustered" personality. Just think of him as being completely shaken by the whole ordeal. :]

Please keep up all the lovely reviews. ^_^

Next chapter will have Apollo, I promise!


	3. Anticipation

Apollo didn't even know why he bothered to dress nicely for the occasion, or why he felt so nervous. After all, he'd known Mr. Wright personally for the past four years, and during that time neither of them had ever bothered to dress nicely for eachother, even on special occasions. And he more than often thought of him as a father figure already. So why should a simple dinner with him make him so jittery?

True, he and Trucy had kept their relationship a secret from him until just a few days ago, and any other father would be furious for just that alone. But he knew that good ol' listless Mr. Wright was more than capable of letting that slide (heck, he'd played more than his fair share of practical jokes on Apollo already). Trucy was at his side almost every hour of the day, after all. That a love interest formed between the two of them shouldn't pose as any surprise, right?

_Sigh_. At least, that's what he kept telling himself as he stood in front of his mirror and adjusted his tie and collar in an almost obsessive manner. He'd chosen a reddish magenta jacket and some dark gray pants to wear to dinner: perhaps the only outfit he owned that didn't include a red vest. Just as he felt satisfied with his outfit and was heading toward the bathroom to sculpt his hair, his cell phone started ringing.

He checked the phone's tiny screen and instantly recognized the number displayed.

_Beep_. "Trucy?"

"Hey, Apollo! How are you doing?"

"Er…I'm…"

"And don't say you're fine." Then he heard her bright giggle over the phone. God, that innocent little laugh could melt his heart in seconds. He could practically see her bouncing on her heels, grinning cheerfully, even over the phone.

"All right," he chuckled. "I guess I'm more than a little nervous." He rubbed the back of his hair sheepishly, but he couldn't help smiling in relief. Talking with Trucy always helped to calm his nerves somehow, and her optimistic, sprite-like voice was doing wonders.

"Don't worry, ok? You know Daddy. He's not going to put you on the chopping block or anything. You'll be _fine_. Oop…!"

Apollo laughed out loud. "I guess my catchphrases are rubbing off on you, Truce." He sighed. "But I really, really wish you were were coming with me tonight…"

"I can't, I told you that already. I have to work. I've been taking too many nights off with you lately; can't risk losing this job. And anyway, I get the feeling that Daddy wants to see you alone."

"Really? Why's that?"

"I dunno. Probably wants to have one of those 'man-to-man' talks with you. But I don't think it's anything too serious. Just be the klutzy, wonderful person you always are, Apollo, and it'll go great."

"Yeah, I guess. I mean, now that I think about it, I should be grateful, given the circumstances. Most guys in my position are never as well-acquainted with they father-to-be's _before_ they meet with them like this."

"Exactly. I'm sure it'll be just like any old dinner for any other occasion. We're all so tight-knit already. Nothing to worry about."

His smile widened. "Thanks, Trucy. I feel better now."

Trucy let out another angelic giggle. "You're hopeless without me."

"Lucky for me we're getting married then, huh?"

"Yep! Ack, that's my boss calling me. Gotta go." There was a short pause, then she said in a softer voice, "Good luck. I love you."

"Love you, too."

_Beep_.

Apollo stared at his phone in his hand lovingly for a few moments before slipping it back into his pocket. Then he let out a quiet _phew_ before heading to the bathroom sink and drowning his hair in gel.

* * *

Apollo was arriving in fifteen minutes.

Phoenix hadn't spent much time cleaning up his apartment because he thought it a bit silly, considering that Apollo visited him several times a week to discuss cases and the sort. And also because attempting to tidy up his dump of an apartment would be pointless in itself. However, that day, Phoenix did devote over four full hours to one thing.

Making dinner.

Or, in actuality, he was attempting to follow the instructions on the package of "make it your own stuffed pasta and breadsticks" kit that he'd bought hastily at the supermarket that morning, a meal which he had presumed would only take him thirty minutes (as the instructions had indicated) but had in fact used up his entire afternoon. Apparently he had mixed up the seasoning packets with the sauce mix packets, had mistaken the sheets of pasta for the frozen vegetables (hey, anyone could have made that mistake!) and burned the cheese to a crispy black mass when he stuck the baking dish into the oven (which he hardly ever used), which had caused him to spend a good several hours searching frantically for dinner alternatives in his kitchen and pantry.

In the end he gave up and ordered takeout. Looks like he wasn't going to be able to impress Apollo with his third-rate cooking skills that night.

_But why should I be trying to impress him?_ He thought irritably as he used a metal spatula to scrape the black bits off the bottom of his baking dish in the sink. _He's the son-in-law. __**He**__should be the one slaving over dinner._

Phoenix suddenly blinked, then smacked his forehead. _I can't believe I just thought of him as my __**son-in-law**_. He shuddered when he thought about how Thalassa might have reacted to his thinking that. _I'm supposed to be trying to stop the wedding, not encourage it!_

He and Thalassa had planned it all out the day before. Phoenix was to invite Apollo for dinner to have the traditional "pre-wedding father-to-son" chat, and at the same time find ways to learn more about their relationship, and to think of ways to "tweak" that relationship. "Tweak" as in _destroy_.

He knew that he wouldn't be able to do much to dismantle the engagement the first night around, so tonight was reserved simply for growing familiar with Apollo and Trucy's status. He had to hear it straight from Apollo. How sure were they about this whole thing? Did they _really_ love eachother? How much thought had they put into the wedding anyway? If Phoenix could find a weak spot in any of these points, if Apollo showed any hints of hesitation in his devotion to Trucy, he knew he'd be able to tear down their whole charade. After all, he'd spent over three years of his life doing just that: finding cracks in even the most subtle mistakes in witness testimonies.

Phoenix opened the paper takeout cartons and arranged then on the small dining table. He got a couple of plates and cups out of the cupboard and set them down as well. Then he took a seat and glanced at the clock. Ten more minutes.

He crossed his arms casually on the tabletop and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly and calmly. He was ready. He could do this. Just one crack. One crack in Apollo's "testimony" and the entire engagement would come crashing down.

* * *

Remember, try not to take any of this too seriously. ;D


	4. Dinner

Hey there, everyone! Yes, I am still alive! I apologize for the slow update! *prepares to dodge multitudes of tomato projectiles*

I'm not quite sure what to make of this story….It started out as a joke, but the more I work on it, I can't decide whether to make it serious or just wacky and illogical…maybe it'll be a mix of the two..?

_*_Note: _Manju_ are small Japanese rice flour snacks with (often) red bean filling.

* * *

_Is it rude to arrive early?_ Apollo thought as he stood awkwardly in front of Mr. Wright's apartment door. He checked his watch again. Dinner wasn't for another five minutes or so. Still, he felt weird just standing in front of the door, waiting for his watch to strike seven before knocking. _Should I just knock…?_

Apollo let out a small sigh. Just a few days ago, before he'd proposed to Trucy, he would have felt no shame in simply barging into Mr. Wright's home, unannounced, and dumping piles of paper onto his kitchen table. But now…now that Mr. Wright was his fiancée's father, Apollo suddenly felt that he was obligated to show some etiquette toward the man, as forced as it felt.

"As if he's ever shown any toward me_…" _he grumbled to himself. He took a moment to survey his surroundings, despite the fact that he'd been here at least a few hundred times already. As usual, the wallpaper was peeling where it met the door frame, the carpet was dotted with tiny dust bunnies, and the number "2619" was etched on the door. Nothing new here. He shifted his feet, glancing at the small plastic-wrapped package in his hand (a gift-wrapped box of Nickel Samurai _manju*_) to make sure it was still there, and cleared his throat for no reason. A minute passed, and after humming a familiar theme to himself for a few moments, he deemed it was about time to make his grand entrance. Clearing his throat once more, he rapped his knuckles on the faded wood.

Phoenix jumped to his feet and opened the door. He could have laughed at Apollo's ridiculously dressy outfit right then and there but he managed to retrain himself, only allowing a sly grin escape his lips. "Now that's strange. I don't remember requesting a bellboy."

Apollo scowled and blushed. "Hospitable as ever, Mr. Wright," he muttered as he stepped inside. Phoenix let out a quiet sigh of relief. Apollo didn't seem to have noticed the fact that Phoenix was desperately trying to maintain his customary laid-back persona. He had the frightening feeling that he'd let that side of him falter throughout the last few days, and part of his plan for tonight was to make sure Apollo couldn't tell how edgy he felt about the whole situation.

No further words were exchanged as the two men walked over to the tiny dining table and took their seats. They sat directly across from one another, making it seem more like an interrogation than a friendly dinner. _Not a bad touch,_ Phoenix thought deviously to himself.

They sat awkwardly for a few minutes, still not saying a word to each other. Finally, after drumming his fingers on the tablecloth for a moment, Apollo ripped his chopstick envelope open and began plucking food out of the takeout containers and onto his plate. As he ate, Phoenix continued to watch him with half-lidded eyes. _He doesn't seem nervous in the least,_ Phoenix observed, slightly dismayed at his own apparent lack of fatherly pressure. Pushing that thought aside, he decided it was time to initiate the conversation.

"So…"

He hadn't realized that he spoke just as Apollo was about to swallow a piece of broccoli. The abrupt break in silence caused the young attorney to choke, and he began pounding his chest with his fist, trying to dislodge the vegetable morsel out of his windpipe. After a few frantic moments he managed to swallow it, then gasped and cleared his throat.

"S-sorry. What were you saying…?" He croaked.

_We're off to a great start…_Phoenix couldn't help grinning at the flustered boy. "Um, nothing." After letting Apollo clear his throat a few times, Phoenix tried again.

"So. You and Trucy."

Apollo flinched. "Y-yep. Me and Trucy."

"Huh."

"…"

When Phoenix realized that Apollo wasn't going to explain himself, he cleared his throat loudly.

Apollo blinked. "What?"

"Aren't you going to tell me more about it?"

"Oh! Oh, right. Um, how should I begin..." Apollo flattened his hair spokes nervously. "Well, first off, Mr. Wright, I think I owe you an apology."

"Really." Phoenix narrowed his eyes in irritation. He wasn't exactly mad at _Apollo_ for not telling him; he was actually more bothered by the fact that he had been forced suffer Thalassa's monstrous reaction to the belated wedding announcement. He had to admit; for that, Apollo was partly to blame.

Apollo gulped. _He doesn't sound happy…_ "Uh, yeah, about our keeping the relationship a secret until four days ago…that was unintentional. We planned to tell you about…_us_…all the way back in September."

"Uh huh. So what kept you from telling me?" _Maybe they were unsure of their feelings for one another? This could be an opening…_

"Ah…we didn't mean to let it drag on for so long. Time just flew, you know? Spending time with one another seemed to overshadow everything going on in our lives. And before we knew it, it was December…haha…" _There's no way he's going to let that fly by…_Apollo gulped.

Phoenix thought for a moment. It was a pretty shaky response, but nothing he could really poke holes into. He could tell this line of questioning was going nowhere fast. _Let's see where being blunt will bring us…_

"How would you describe the status between you two?"

"…? P-pardon?"

_Maybe that was a little __**too**__ blunt. Oh well. _He smirked in amusement at Apollo's dumbfounded stare."You know. How's the relationship between you two?"

Apollo stared, furrowing his brow in incomprehension. "We're…engaged…?"

"Does that mean you're in love?"

"…Yes…?" _It's no mystery why Mr. Wright's still single,_ he thought heatedly.

"I wonder…" He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Phoenix almost felt a stab of guilt for messing with poor Apollo's head like this. _Almost_. He was just having too much fun. "So you're serious about getting married."

"Yes, sir."

"How far would you go for Trucy?" He ventured.

"I'd do anything."

"Would you name your children after me?"

Apollo coughed. _I can't believe this guy…! _"Um…if it would please you…?"

"Good. That's great." Phoenix was just about ready to burst out laughing, but he bit his tongue to restrain himself. He'd almost forgotten how entertaining meddling with Apollo was. _Maybe I should just go all out tonight,_ he tempted himself. _Forget using this time to find out more about their relationship: maybe I should try scaring Apollo out of marriage right here and now._

"When can I move in with you two?"

Apollo scowled. _Dammit, I know he's doing this on purpose!_ "We…haven't discussed that just yet," he said slowly, angrily gripping his chopsticks so hard his knuckles turned white.

"Oh. Well, you give me a head's up when you find a place, all right?"

"…"

When Apollo slipped on his jacket and headed out the door an hour later, he didn't say a word to Phoenix. He didn't feel like giving him the box of _manju_, either. _Etiquette my foot. It's impossible with him…._

Phoenix merely smiled as he watched Apollo march grumpily down the hall. _Maybe I overdid it a little…? Oh well. At least he's not as excited about marriage as he was before...._

He chuckled as he began cleaning up the plates and boxes of takeout. _This night went rather well, if I do say so myself._

* * *

This chapter was a bit anticlimactic, I know. Don't worry; it'll lead into something (hopefully) more interesting. Thanks again for the support! ^_^

I hope some of you caught the very subtle reference to the Phoenix Wright manga...haha.


	5. Broadcast

I have returned from the depths of AP examinations to do battle with you….

Sorry about the long absence, everyone! School is just…blegh right now.

Let the bizarre plot events commence!

* * *

When Trucy visited Apollo's apartment the next morning to check up on him, she hadn't expected to see suitcases strewn around the floor. Nor did she expect to see Apollo fervently cramming clothes and shoes and whatnot _into_ the suitcases. She stared for a moment before speaking up. "Um, Apollo? Are you…going somewhere?"

He didn't even look up at her as he continued folding and stuffing his clothes into his suitcase. "Yeah. And you're coming with me."

She stepped further inside, hands placed calmly behind her back, dipping her head curiously as she made her way around the room to where Apollo was crouched. "And where exactly are we going?"

Apollo still didn't lift his head up. "Germany," he announced, as if she should have already known.

"Ooh, that sounds like fun! I've always wanted to visit Germany. Daddy's always talking about it, saying he's got connections there or something. How many days are we staying?"

"I don't really know yet…."

"You don't know?" Trucy placed a thoughtful finger on her chin. "Well, since it _is_ kind of far, I'd say no less than two weeks or so…Ooh, Daddy'll be so excited! He's always wanted to go there…!"

"No, Truce, I don't think you get the idea." Apollo stood up and finally faced his fiancée. "You're dad's not going with us. You and I aren't coming back."

"Huh!?" Trucy backed up and almost tripped over a suitcase lying on the floor. "You mean…you want us to live there? Why?"

"To get away from him."

"Who? You mean…Daddy!?" Apollo didn't think Trucy's eyes could get any wider than they were now. Her half-smile, however, showed that she thought he was joking. "I don't understand. Did something happen last night?"

"Yeah." Apollo's face suddenly twisted up in anger. "Last night, I realized something. There was something wrong with Mr. Wright. It was as if…he was trying to convince me into not marrying you."

"Apollo, that's stupid. There's no way he'd –"

"I'm serious! He started spouting all this nonsense about us being unsure of our relationship, and the suddenness of it all- he just wouldn't let it go. It was as if he was trying to get me to throw off the wedding…!"

"But why would he do that?"

"Don't ask me!" Apollo threw his hands up exasperatedly. "What I do know is your father is twisted. And as long as we stay here, we can't be together."

Trucy placed a hand on his shoulder. "Apollo, I really think you're overreacting. Maybe Daddy was just joking around. You know how he is-"

"Trucy. He said he wanted to move in with us."

"…"

Trucy's half-smile disappeared.

"All right," she said seriously. "We're going to Germany."

* * *

"Why the sudden interest in visiting to my home country, Herr Forehead?"

"It's complicated," Apollo muttered as he sipped his bottle of cola, looking at Klavier in quick glances as the prosecutor stared amusingly from across the small round table. It was a weekday, so the café was pretty much empty this time in the morning. "It's…ridiculous, really. But Trucy and I just need to get out of this country."

"Why?" Klavier asked easily, leaning back and resting one arm around the back of his chair. "If I recall, the last time I spoke with Fraulein Wright, you two are to be married in March, ja? Are you perhaps planning to have your honeymoon there?"

"N-Not exactly. Trucy and I are moving there."

"Really? How nice." Klavier's tone was a little too relaxed for Apollo's tastes. "Is Herr Wright joining you as well…?"

"No. Trucy and I…are trying to get away from him." He took a deep breath, bracing himself for Klavier's reaction to what he was about to tell him. "I think…Mr. Wright is mental. He's bent on trying to keep me and Trucy from marrying." Apollo winced, waiting to see if Klavier would laugh in his face right then and there. But Klavier only gave him a thin smile.

"All right. Fine."

"…that's all you can say? 'Fine?'"

"If you feel the need to get away from your fiancée's father, then I am in no position to object. You do what you need to do."

Apollo sighed in relief. In all the years he'd known Klavier he never got used to the rare instances when Klavier showed a genuine gesture of thoughtfulness. Looked like he and Trucy were going to go to Germany without a hitch.

"But one thing, Herr Forehead, before I decide to not blab to your dear mentor."

Apollo cringed and scowled at him. _I should have known…._ "Yes, Klavier…?"

"I'm coming with you." Klavier reached out and ruffled Apollo's hair. "You didn't think I'd let an opportunity like _this_ pass me up, did you kid? I haven't been to Germany in years!"

_Sigh_. "You do realize this is a form of blackmail," he grumbled miserably as he tried to flatten his hair again. "Fine, you can come. Just…keep a low profile. You're famous; I don't want to see a stampede of fangirls trailing us onto the plane and blowing our cover, okay?"

Klavier took a large bite out of his sandwich. "I hear you loud and clear, Herr Forehead."

"…"

Two days later, Apollo was sorely disappointed when they arrived at the airport.

"OH MY GAWD IT'S HIM!"

"KLAVIER! I LOVE YOU!"

"IS HE GETTING ON A PLANE? STOP HIM!"

Apollo closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead as Klavier waved happily to the mob of squealing girls surrounding them. Trucy merely held Apollo's hand and giggled at the spectacle Klavier was making of himself with almost no effort.

He tugged at Klavier's glittering, jewel-encrusted jacket. "I thought you said you were going to lie low!" he whispered.

Klavier merely tapped the side of his sunglasses. "I am."

"Sunglasses don't count!"

"Oh just relax, Forehead," he chuckled as he gave Apollo yet another head ruffle. "It's not like Herr Wright is going to show up in an airport, of all places. You need to lighten up."

"Yeah, Polly," Trucy chimed in. "Remember, this is kind of like a honeymoon for us. Try to have some fun."

Apollo sighed as he noticed an even bigger crowd of girls running toward them from the end of the corridor. "Let's just get on the plane as quickly as possible, all right?"

* * *

Phoenix was lounging on the couch, flipping channels when he came across the early morning news. Apparently something was up at the airport, as indicated by a swarm of teenagers crowding around the baggage security and a excited-looking female reporter. Phoenix chuckled and turned up the volume, curious to see what was going on.

"…_when ex-rock star Klavier Gavin appeared at Gate 14 followed by an entourage of loyal fans, it was clear he hadn't lost an ounce of his boyish charm, despite the large time gap. Four years and the Gavinners' legacy is still going strong…"_

Phoenix sighed. He expected as much. Klavier never failed to attract attention when he was in public, being the glimmerous fop that he was. He lifted the remote to change channels when he suddenly caught a glimpse of a pair of brown spikes sticking up out of the crowd on the TV screen.

It took him a second to realize that they could only have belonged to one person. Jolted, he sat upright and leaned forward, absent-mindedly turning up the volume. And lo and behold, there was Apollo, almost buried beneath the crowd, with Trucy latched to his arm. He seemed to be trying to hide his face with his boarding pass, but Trucy was smiling brightly, eagerly waving at the camera.

Phoenix gaped. He felt a rock drop into his stomach. _What…what the heck are they doing there!?_ _And with Klavier…!?_

"… _It's just going to be a short trip for me. No biggie." _Klavier's grinning face filled the screen as the reporter held the microphone up to him. Bright flashes ensued from every angle, evidence of the eager paparazzi gathering. "_As for these lovebirds here, they plan to move there permanently. Oh, have I introduced them yet? This is my good friend Apollo Justice, and the fraulein is Trucy Wright…"_

_PERMANENTLY!?_ Phoenix nearly tumbled off the couch. He was shaking vigorously and sweating, and found it a bit hard to breathe. _No...th-this…this can't be happening!_ He clutched his damp forehead and tried to stand up. He wobbled. _Not now! __They…th-they can't move away! Thalassa's gonna kill m…._

Then everything went black.

* * *

Kind of a weird conclusion, but a conclusion nontheless!


	6. An Old Friend

* * *

Hello, I'm back! I hope everyone's summer is going well.

Um…this just might be one of the most illogical stories on the site (but in a good way!)…yeah. A fair warning.

* * *

At least Klavier seemed to be enjoying the sights of Berlin. Despite the snow, he had the taxi's window rolled all the way down, one arm hanging casually over the side of the vehicle, his blonde locks whipping behind him, watching the rows of snow-covered dollhouse-like buildings whiz by. Apollo, on the other hand, was too busy twiddling his thumbs and occasionally turning to look behind the car, as if checking if anyone was following them. Trucy was seated in the middle, between the two men. After several minutes she poked Apollo in the shoulder.

"Hey, Polly. You okay?" She took his hand and gave it a light squeeze. "You seem a little…tense." When Apollo glanced briefly toward Klavier she ventured a guess. "Are you worried about our run-in with the reporters back home at the airport?"

Apollo flinched. "Well, yeah, that too…" he took another moment to shoot a furious glare at the prosecutor. "But there's something else."

Trucy's eyes suddenly widened slightly and put a finger to her lip. "Oh, that's right! Where are we going to be staying, anyway? I don't remember you booking a hotel or anything."

"See, that's the thing. I made some…arrangements, with this…acquaintance…well, not really _our_ acquaintance, but _an_ acquaintance, I suppose you could call him, though I'm sure you've heard of him…"

"Polly, you're rambling."

"Uh, right. Anyway, we're going to be staying with him until we can get a place of our own. The thing is…I haven't really told him the whole story, so he might not let us stay."

Just as Apollo finished his statement, the taxi began braking to a halt. Klavier and Trucy peered out the window together. The house they had stopped in front of was nothing like the buildings they had passed along their ride. It was three stories tall, with ornate, Rome-style pillars descending around the front entrance. The entire mansion was a chalky white, except for the door, which was coal-colored. It looked to be a few hundred yards wide, easily surpassing the size of any other house they had passed along the way. The entire estate was surrounded by a tall stone wall, not unlike the one around the Kitaki mansion. Trucy and Klavier were still gaping when the trio stepped out of the cab.

"Forehead…" Klavier gasped, not taking his eyes off the impressive manor. "How in the world did you…?"

"Apollo! This…we're going to be living _here!?_" Trucy was hopping on her heels, grinning and tugging violently at Apollo's sleeve.

"D-don't get your hopes up…" Apollo still had a look of worry on his face. "Remember what I said -- he might not let us stay…."

Klavier and Trucy exchanged glances as they walked through the massive gate and to the front entrance. After some hesitation, Apollo pressed the doorbell button, then hastily stepped back as if the door would open and slam into his face. A few moments later, they heard footsteps approaching from the inside. The door slowly opened.

* * *

When Phoenix came to he was still lying on the carpet in front of the couch. He blinked at the ceiling a few times, trying to regain his focus, then got up. It wasn't until then that he realized what had awakened him. His doorbell sounded impatiently three times in a quick procession, as if the visitor had been ringing it for a long while. Rubbing his head, he made his way to the door and opened it.

A very angry-looking Thalassa was staring back at him through the doorway.

"What the hell happened?" She demanded, arms crossed and finger tapping. Again, Phoenix was grateful for the fact that her hands were not balled into fists, ready to deck him. But that didn't prevent him from being scared out of his wits.

"Wh…what do you mean?" he replied, not quite comprehending the reason for her presence. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to recall the day's events. He was still feeling a bit groggy, after all.

"Don't give me that crap, you little vermin. I saw the news this morning," she snarled. She suddenly grabbed Phoenix by the front of his sweatshirt and shook him. Despite the height difference, Thalassa was startlingly strong. "Now. Tell me. What. The. Hell. Happened."

Jarred by her sudden actions, Phoenix at last remembered why he had passed out in the first place. _Oh God. They were on their way to…!_

"I-I…it…it was an accident, I swear!" he sputtered.

He could have sworn he saw her eye twitch just then. Her voice turned dangerously soft. "I told you to find a reason for them to break up. That's all. That was our plan, yes? Now…." She tightened her grip, drawing him closer. "…_Explain to me why the children are still a couple, still engaged, on a plane, leaving the country!?_"

Phoenix's voice came out in little more than a whimper. "…I…u-um…Apollo…and the dinner…with the broccoli…."

"…what?"

Phoenix shook his head to get his thoughts together. Not surprisingly, his knees were wobbling. If not for Thalassa's Herculean grip on him he might have collapsed again. "Maybe I overdid it a bit with the whole 'trying to scare them out of marriage' thing and –"

"'_A bit?' Just_ what exactly did you say to him during the dinner?"

"N-nothing much, just the usual banter –"

"_What did you say to him!?"_

"I-I kinda…told him I'd be moving in with them."

A brief silence.

"…Thalassa…?"

She let him go, then slowly turned around, leaving him to stare at her back. "Those poor things…" she gently shook her head. "No wonder they ran away."

He ignored that. "A-anyway, shouldn't we be getting to the airport now?"

"I've got the tickets with me here," she declared, tapping her purse. He should have known. "Let's hurry."

* * *

A very tall man stood in front of the traveling trio. He had dark hair and long bangs that hung down over his cheeks. He was dressed immaculately well, even for someone expecting company, and wore a startlingly even expression.

"M-Mr. Edgeworth," Apollo greeted, bowing. _He's so intimidating! _"I apologize again for the late notice, but it was kind of an emergency. I…hope it's still okay with you if we stay here for a while?"

Trucy and Klavier's jaws dropped. Apollo cringed. _Looks like they know who he is…._

"I agreed to it yesterday, didn't I?" Edgeworth smiled gently and stepped aside. "Come on in. The sofa's just over there."

"Thanks. You have no idea how much we appreciate it."

They all stepped inside, shaking the snowflakes off their jackets a bit, and gazed at the ridiculous size of the inner mansion. The floor they were standing on was marble, but a glance down one of the many hallways showed that some of the adjacent rooms sported a lush navy carpet. There were several busts, positioned at every corner, and elaborate oil paintings on each wall. The ceiling was patterned, as was the thick staircase railing that spiraled to the upper levels. Everything looked expensive, and gave off an oddly Roman aura.

"This is actually my late mentor's estate," Edgeworth explained. "I reside here whenever I find myself in this country."

Trucy nudged Apollo as they walked to the plush sofa while Edgeworth went to the kitchen to get drinks. "Apollo, do you know who this is!?"

"Yeah, he's Miles Edgeworth," he whispered back. "A prosecutor. Also an old friend of your dad's, right?"

"Well, yeah, everyone knows about the old rivalry between the two! But why did you choose _him_ to stay with?"

"Well, first of all, I heard he was in Germany, and I needed to get as far away from Mr. Wright as possible. And also, I figured since he's Mr. Wright's old friend, he could talk some sense into your dad and convince him to give us his blessing, and…."

Trucy gasped. "Aww, Polly, that's so sweet!" she gave him a hug as they both sat down on the squishy sofa. "You still care about getting Daddy's permission!"

Apollo blushed and fiddled with his bangs. "Well, he _is_ still your dad and all. Hopefully once things have calmed down, Mr. Wright will realize that what we have is genuine…" He gently took Trucy's hand in both of his. "…and we can have a real wedding."

She beamed at him before kissing him lightly on the cheek. "You're such a dork, Apollo."

"So, where were we?" Edgeworth entered the room carrying a wooden tray with four cups balanced on top. He set it on the coffee table before sitting down and facing his guests. "I don't believe we were properly introduced. I'm Miles Edgeworth."

"I'm Klavier Gavin." Klavier immediately reached out to give Edgeworth a firm handshake. "I'm a prosecutor, as well. It's a great honor."

"And I'm Trucy Wright," Trucy added, grinning as brightly as ever. "I'm Phoenix Wright's daughter. He's told me a lot about you, Mr. Edgeworth."

"Ah, yes, Wright's told me much about you, as well. It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Ms. Wright," Edgeworth replied, in a very gentlemanly voice. "So, Apollo, I hear you're having…relationship difficulties, was it?"

"Ah, um, yes…" Apollo flattened his spikes and chuckled. "You see, Trucy and I are getting married. That is, we were _planning_ on getting married, until Mr. Wright found out. He…didn't exactly give us the thumbs-up, if you know what I'm saying. I know this must sound weird, but could I ask you to…."

"You are hoping that I, as a trusted friend of Wright, will aid you and convince him to give you his blessing…?"

"You have no idea how much it would mean to us."

"Well, I certainly can't say no to that sort of determination. All right, I'll see what I can do." Edgeworth smiled as Apollo thanked him yet again and hugged Trucy. _Young love….I was a little skeptical when this boy called me out of the blue, asking for a place to stay, even when we'd never even spoken before. But he said he was an associate of Wright, so I couldn't refuse._ "By the way, Apollo…what exactly is your relationship with Phoenix Wright…?"

"Huh? Oh. He's my mentor."

…_What? _"…P-pardon…?"

"I'm a lawyer, actually. I've been his apprentice of sorts for the last four years."

"…"

"Mr….Edgeworth?"

"S-so…" Edgeworth's mouth suddenly became very dry. "You're…Justice…?"

"Yes. How did you…?"

"Excuse me for a moment."

Edgeworth stood up and slowly walked back toward the kitchen. He clutched the edges of the sink, struggling to maintain balance.

"…"

_OH. MY. GOD._

* * *

Apollo, Trucy, and Klavier glanced at each other as Edgeworth disappeared from their view.

"Huh. Wonder what _that_ was all about." Trucy crossed her arms, face perplexed. Apollo shrugged.

"Ah, you must be Miles' visitors." A female voice suddenly broke the confused silence. A young woman walked into the room and stood before the other three. She had oddly pale blue hair and a whip clipped to her belt. Not an ensemble one saw every day. "But it's not very polite of him to go wandering off while his guests are still here, is it…? Where did he go?"

"Mr. Edgeworth went into the kitchen for a bit, I think." Apollo explained.

"Ah, I see. I'll go and see what he's up to. Please excuse me."

A few minutes later, Franziska found the prosecutor sitting at the dining table, which was a few rooms down from the kitchen, worrying his thumbs on the polished wood. She could tell that he was troubled, seeing how mussed his bangs were (an easy indication that he had been nervously rubbing his forehead). She smiled. A flustered Miles was always a welcome sight. Proof that he wasn't as perfect as she was.

"May I ask what's the matter…?" She calmly rounded the table and took a seat across from him.

Edgeworth sighed and put a hand over his eyes. "You see that girl and brown-haired boy sitting on the sofa?"

"Yes. Your guests from America, I presume. And the girl is Phoenix Wright's daughter, correct? They are engaged to be married."

"Mm hm. Any guesses as to who the boy is?"

"None whatsoever."

"He just told me…" Edgeworth put his hand down and looked straight into Franziska's face. "…that he is Wright's apprentice."

"…You're joking."

"I'm not."

The color faded from Franziska's face. "You mean _that _apprentice!? But…" Now she was trembling. "H-his apprentice…the 'Justice' boy…isn't he -- !?"

"Trucy's brother, yes…."

"_That fool!" _Franziska pounded the table with her fist. "_Of all the foolishly foolish ignorant fools I never thought that fool would foolishly become…_!"

"It gets better," Edgeworth smirked. "Apparently, Wright knows about the engagement but disproved of it, and the reason Apollo came here was to have me talk Wright into letting them marry."

"Well," Franziska huffed, twisting her whip threateningly between her hands. "_We_ certainly will not have any more to do with this foolishness. Those two are going back to America. I'm buying tickets and sending them back first thing in the morning."

"Come on, Franziska, they've only just arrived."

"I don't care. They can freeze outside on the streets for all I care. This is _his_ problem. _His_ responsibility. I cannot believe Phoenix Wright would be foolish enough to let this…this foolishness find its way to _our_ doorstep, and expect _us_ to _baby-sit_ for him…!" She stood up and went to pick up the phone. "Absolute foolishness…." She muttered.

Edgeworth sighed. He knew there was no arguing with his sister once she had made up her mind. Still, he felt incredibly guilty for making Apollo return home, especially since Edgeworth had already promised to help them.

"Unbelievable." Franziska slammed the phone back onto the receiver. "Planes will not be coming in or out of Berlin for the next three days. Weather issues, apparently."

Edgeworth scoffed. "Well it _is_ January. What do you exp – " He suddenly paused. "Wait. Three days?"

Franziska nodded gravely.

"That means…" Edgeworth gulped. "that they'll be staying with us…in this house…for three whole days."

"Without their knowing of their sibling relationship. Without their learning of our true intentions."

"…"

_This is going to be an interesting weekend_.

* * *

Boy, this chapter was fun to write. xD

Reviews are loved. Worshipped. A shrine is to be constructed for every review submitted.


	7. Contingency

I know I've been gone for FOREVER, and I sincerely apologize to all of you awesome readers who have been faithful to this story (or whatever you want to call it xD). I hope you don't think I've forgotten you guys. To tell you the truth, a big part of why I haven't updated in so long is that I honestly think my writing ability (if I had any) has been declining for the past year or so, and I didn't want to upload something that would disappoint you all. Please bear with the slow updates; college has started for me and it's been really crazy…!

Anyway, enough of that. On with the insanity!

* * *

Apollo flopped his suitcase onto his bed and sat on the stiff mattress. He leaned back, folding his arms behind his head and letting out a heavy sigh. He'd unpack later. Right now all he wanted to do was unwind and try to appreciate the fact that they'd made it here without a problem.

"Pretty nice room they gave us, huh?" Trucy observed cheerfully as she sat down beside him.

"Yeah. I mean, we've even got a flat screen TV in here. I guess all prosecutors really live it up." He glanced around. "Though I question the pink ruffled curtains."

Trucy snorted. "I _really_ hope they were Franziska's idea…"

"Franziska?" Apollo raised his eyebrows slightly and looked to her. "Was she the short-haired woman earlier?"

Trucy nodded.

"Edgeworth's girlfriend or something?"

"Haha, no!" Trucy laughed. "She's his sister. Daddy told me."

"Oh," Apollo blushed. _Awkward…can't believe I just imagined two siblings being romantically involved... _He shuddered.

After a few more minutes he sat up again. "I think I'm going to go out to find something to eat. Want anything?"

Trucy put a finger to her chin. "Know any good German takeout in the area?" She teased.

Apollo sighed. "I guess I'll just have to look around myself. See you later, _ja_?" And with that he left the room and headed for the stairs.

* * *

However good friends he was with Phoenix, Edgeworth had to agree with Franziska on one thing: he had a lot of nerve landing a problem this big on Edgeworth's lap without any warning. He wasn't cold enough to kick the two of them out of his house, but he was irritated enough to give Phoenix a piece of his mind.

He walked to the phone and was just about to pick it up when it abruptly rang. Furrowing his brows, he picked it up.

"Von Karma residence…"

"Edgeworth, you've got to help me."

_Didn't see that one coming_. "Wright, listen – "

"Here's the story," _He certainly isn't wasting any time,_ Edgeworth thought angrily. "Apollo and Trucy are engaged, but I sort of…scared them and they ran off to Germany. Thank goodness you picked up; I was afraid you were out of the country. Could you do something to find out where they are right now?"

It'd been a while since he heard Phoenix sounding so panicked. He smirked darkly, content at how distraught he was. "Calm down. I know about the situation. They're actually staying here, with us."

"What?"

Phoenix's typical unawareness caused Edgeworth's irritation to settle in again and his voice came out characteristically miffed. "Your little 'son-in-law' conveniently chose our mansion as a honeymoon resort."

"H-hey, don't blame me. I wasn't the one who told him where you lived. He must have found out on his own."

"Whatever. The bright side is, we know where they are, and they're not going to leave for a while. At least we have partial control of the situation…"

"Edgeworth, you've got to talk them out of marriage. You're the only one who can, now."

"Just because you tried to and failed miserably? Then couldn't keep a close eye on them so they managed to escape and arrive at my doorstep? I sure am getting the better end of the deal of this, aren't I?" Edgeworth sighed. "Fine, Wright, I'll see what I can –"

He suddenly glanced to his side only to find Apollo standing a few yards away, staring quizzically. _He probably realized that I'm talking to Wright…!_

Edgeworth formed what he hoped was a furious expression, and yelled into the phone, "Wright, no matter what you say, I can't destroy true love!" His eyes darted to Apollo, who was now smiling gratefully. _Oh, dear God…._

"Edgeworth!" Phoenix sputtered. "What are you – "

"Why can't you see these two are made for each other! I'm ashamed to call you my friend, you heartless relationship-ripper!" He turned to see that Apollo was close to tears.

"_Edgeworth, are you crazy_ –"

"Well, I for one am not going to accept this. I'll see to it that these two get married, even if it means never speaking to you again!" Edgeworth slammed the phone back onto its receiver. He turned his head to Apollo, gritting his teeth.

"Mr. Edgeworth…" Apollo's smile reached ear to ear. "I don't know what to say. Just…thank you so much for that…"

"N-not at all." Edgeworth's knees were beginning to shake. He moved around to the other side of the table so Apollo couldn't see. _What have I done…?_

"You didn't have to get angry for us, though. It's true that Mr. Wright is being unreasonable, but I do want him to agree to the wedding in the end."

"S-sure," Edgeworth's head was spinning. "I'll…try to be more subtle next time."

Apollo's eyes sparkled. "I'm going to go out for a bit. I'll find us all some dinner for tonight, as a thanks." Apollo practically skipped to the front door, grabbing his coat before stepping outside. "We're both counting on you, Mr. Edgeworth."

The door slammed shut. Edgeworth collapsed into a chair, his eyes wide in incomprehension of what just happened.

* * *

Phoenix gaped in confusion. He was still holding the phone, listening to the blank dial tone.

"Well?" Thalassa walked up behind him.

"He's lost it…" Phoenix finally hung the phone back onto its mount. "One minute he's agreeing to help break them up, the next he's screaming at me for trying to do the same."

Thalassa scoffed. "I didn't expect much from a friend of _yours,_ anyway."

Phoenix gave her a look, but decided to drop the subject.

"From that conversation just now," she continued, "it's apparent that your friend already knew Apollo and Trucy's real relationship."

"Uh, yeah…" Phoenix replied carefully. _Technically, she never said I couldn't tell anyone about it, and I'd already told Edgeworth about Apollo working under me…._

"Have you told anyone else?"

"No, I…" _Oh, wait. _"Actually, there is one other friend I mentioned it to…but he's probably too much of a dope to remember. It shouldn't be a problem."

Thalassa closed her eyes and sighed. "I supposed all I can do is trust you on that."

Phoenix raised an eyebrow, but he decided it was better not to ask.

* * *

Forty minutes after he started his trek from the von Karma mansion Apollo immediately regretted not asking Edgeworth for a map of the local area. Though they were all beautiful, the snow-topped buildings lined along the sidewalks around him were all nearly identical, making it very difficult to tell which corner he'd just turned, much less which buildings looked like good take-out restaurants.

At long last he came upon a small structure with rather large windows through which he could see several men sitting at a booth holding small bottles and eating from plates. From his extended knowledge Apollo deduced this was indeed a restaurant of sorts, and was eager to shuffle in through its doors to escape the cold.

As he stepped inside he was immediately greeted by a dozen suspicious glares and several unpleasant words in German from the seated men before him. If not for an arm waving frantically above the crowd, Apollo would have darted back out the door.

The arm belonged to a thin, brown-haired man sitting alone at a small table. He looked to be in his early thirties. Apollo glanced around him, checking if the stranger was beckoning someone else, then pointed to himself quizzically. When the stranger laughed and nodded, Apollo walked forward to stand just a few feet away from the smiling man.

"I know you," the man said abruptly. "You're Nick's boy, right?"

Apollo blinked, struggling to comprehend and remember where he'd seen this man before.

"Haha, sorry, guess it's been a while. Three years, in fact." He held out his hand. "Larry Butz. Professional eyebrow threader. Remember?"

* * *

Edgeworth, standing outside Trucy and Apollo's room, took a deep breath. _I need to end this quickly. Wright is counting on me._ He knocked loudly.

"Come in!" called Trucy's voice.

Edgeworth slowly swung the door open and stepped inside, trying his best not to look disheveled. He managed a queasy smile.

"Oh, hello Mr. Edgeworth," Trucy chirped.

"G-good evening, Trucy," Edgeworth replied, shutting the door behind him. _This is it, Edgeworth. You're going to stop this madness right now._ "Is it all right if I have a little chat with you?"

"Sure," Trucy sat down on the edge of her bed as Edgeworth took a seat at the small table across from her.

"All right," Edgeworth began, hands beginning to feel clammy. _How to word this…_ "I completely approve of your getting married, Trucy. Being a close friend of Wright, I would be most content to see that you are happy. You know that, right?"

"Uh huh."

"But that…doesn't mean that I approve of _all_ of it."

Trucy raised her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…" Edgeworth closed his eyes, wishing that he'd rehearsed this with Franziska beforehand. "…that I think it's good that you're getting married and becoming independent at such an early age, but…the problem is…"

Trucy looked positively baffled. "…the problem is…?"

"Apollo." Edgeworth forced the name out of his mouth. He felt sick. "Apollo's the problem."

Trucy blinked disbelievingly. "A-Apollo! How could Apollo be the problem?"

_Because he's your brother! _He sighed. There was nothing else he wanted to do more than to blurt out those four words, to end this ridiculous pandemonium. But it was not his place to reveal that fact to them. That decision rested with Wright and their mother.

"…because he's too old for you."

Trucy's brows furrowed. After a moment she rolled her eyes and smiled grimly, causing Edgeworth to wince. "Oh, I get it. You're gonna go with _that_ route, huh?"

"W-well…" Edgeworth gulped. "I mean, he's seven years your senior. Anyone should feel uncomfortable…"

"But what about Uncle Gumshoe and Aunt Maggey?"

"Well…honestly, I don't think either of them knows how to count…"

"But Mr. Edgeworth, I just don't understand why you're suddenly opposed to all of this –" Trucy's eyes suddenly widened. She gasped, and looked right into Edgeworth's eyes, grinning.

"Wh…what is it?"

"Oh, Mr. Edgeworth. You can stop trying to hide it now." Trucy thinned her eyes mischievously. "You can tell me the truth, why you don't want me to marry Apollo."

"The…truth?" _What on earth is she…has she figured it out?_

"You like him, don't you?"

…

"…WHAT!"

* * *

In the dining room, Franziska stared into her teacup. _I wonder how Miles is doing up there…speak of the devil._ Edgeworth walked in right at that moment, looking a little disoriented.

Franziska straightened. "So? How did it go?"

"Er…" He hesitated. If he told her what Trucy said to him, two possibilities could arise. One, she would whip him incessantly for failing to stop the marriage. Or two, she'd laugh at him incessantly. Or…both could happen, he realized grimly. He decided to say it anyway.

But when he finished recapping his conversation with Trucy, Franziska froze. "Wait, so…she thinks…"

Edgeworth cringed. _Laughter, whipping. Laughter, whipping…which will she fancy today?_

"Miles, this is perfect!"

Edgeworth looked up. "Eh?"

"Don't you see?" She rounded the table and took Edgeworth by his shoulders. "This is how we're going to break them up!"

A quirked eyebrow. "I'm afraid I don't quite follow…"

"Trucy thinks that you're infatuated with Apollo - "

" '_Infatuated'_ is a bit of a disingenuous term – "

" – so, what's our next logical step?"

_And she ignores me_. He sighed and gently removed her hands from his shoulders. "I'm sorry, dear sister. It appears that your line of logic has managed to, as it has numerous times, leave me fumbling in its glorious wake."

"Oh skip the sarcasm, Miles. I supposed I'll just have to spell it out for you," she huffed. "All you have to do is make them think that your 'crush' is _real_."

"What!"

"Think about it. If you're successful and Trucy gets the idea that her fiancé is…not interested in girls…she'll have to end their relationship. It's a fool-proof plan."

For the third time that afternoon, Edgeworth was rendered speechless.

"Miles, are you all right?"

"…By any chance, Franziska, does this have anything to do with my affinity for magenta?"

* * *

Apollo had to admit, despite all the stories of how the Butz got Mr. Wright and his pals in trouble on a near constant basis, Larry wasn't that bad of a guy. He was surprisingly easy to talk to, and before long the two were hitting it off, discussing stories involving Mr. Wright, as well as the success of Larry's new business strategy of spreading his "talents" overseas in an attempt to gain renown. Heck, he was even willing to buy Apollo a few drinks.

...Too bad Apollo never got the chance to enjoy any of those drinks, seeing as Larry gulped them down as soon as they hit the table. No more than ten minutes later Larry's face was flushed and Apollo was worrying that if he swayed any harder he'd fall off his seat.

He glanced at his watch. "Sorry, Mr. Butz, I'd better get going. I promised my fiancée I'd bring home dinner."

"…Guh?" Larry slurred, putting a hand on Apollo's shoulder and shaking it weakly. "H-hey man, you're gettn' _married_? Congrats, man…who's the…lucky lady?" He hiccupped, and lazily rested his head on his hands on the table.

Apollo blushed, barely holding back an embarrassed grin. "Uh, thanks. She's…Trucy. Mr. Wright's daughter."

Larry burst out laughing, pounding the table with one fist and holding his side with the other, tears coming out the corners of his eyes. Apollo just stared in confusion until Larry hiccupped again and started to regain his composure.

"_Trucy?_ Seriously!" He slurred, barely containing his giggles. "Dude, you can't marry _her_, she's your s-"

"_Achtung_ Herr Forehead!" Two hands suddenly clamped on Apollo's shoulders from behind, making him jump. Klavier laughed as Apollo fixed a bewildered stare on the prosecutor. "I never thought I'd find you in a place like this!"

"Gavin?" Apollo put a hand to his massive forehead. "Why…how did you find me here?"

"You were taking so long to get back, the _fraulein_ was getting worried," he replied casually, toying with his bangs. "So I told her I'd go out to look for you. I saw your horns from the window, so it wasn't hard." He picked up a half-empty glass, probably assuming it was Apollo's since it was nearest to him, and took a sip. "Ah, nothing like good ol' Hȫhler, ja?"

"I'd agree with you, if I'd had the chance to drink any," Apollo sighed, glancing at the now-dozing Butz.

"Ach, does your friend need a ride home?"

"Naw, he told me he's staying at a place not too far from here, so he can walk," Apollo assured. "I'll introduce you two properly next time, when he's conscious." He stood up from his chair, placing a hand on Larry's still shoulder. "It was fun talking with you, Mr. Butz. Hope we can meet again soon."

"Mmkay…."

On the way out of the bar Apollo discovered that Klavier had managed to rent a car, and had indeed driven all the way out (Apollo grinned sheepishly at Klavier's "Forehead, how long were you _walking_?"). Klavier had already picked up some food, so the two of them drove back to the mansion.

Just as Apollo was about to knock on the door, it swung open. Edgeworth let them in, with a highly suspicious and fake-looking smile on his face.

"Oh, Apollo, you're back!" He cried, ignoring the younger prosecutor. "Let me get your coat…" He started patting down Apollo's jacket to shake the snow off…which took longer than it should have, really….

"I-I'm fine, Mr. Edgeworth, really!" Apollo stammered, blushing as the hands continued their attentions on his lower back and sides. He hastily took off his coat and hung it on the hook.

Klavier didn't seem put out in the least at the lack of greeting in his direction. "I've brought home food, Herr Edgeworth. I'll set it on the table; it should reheat well, I hope." He headed into the kitchen.

Edgeworth was still smiling eerily at Apollo. _Was it just me, or did Mr. Edgeworth just __**wink**__ at me…?_

He wondered if it was really the snow that was sending a chill down his left arm.

"Well!" Edgeworth exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "Why don't you go on upstairs and relax with Trucy, while Gavin and I prepare dinner?"

"O-okay," Apollo replied warily, picking up his pace up the stairs when he realized Edgeworth was still warmly gazing at him from below.

Once Apollo was out of sight Edgeworth nearly collapsed, gripping onto the stair railing to support himself. He put a hand to his head. _I don't know if I can go through with this._

* * *

A/N: I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE. I came up with the plot sleep-deprived and on an empty stomach! Don't shoot me!

I apologize if any of you are offended by the sorta-implied boy/boy love. But I figured that if you were ok with siblings getting married, well…^^; Anyway, I assure you it's not gonna blow into full-scaled "yaoi."

And I apologize for having so many line-breaks. xD

Again, I'm sorry for the ridiculously long wait, but please review so that I know you guys are still reading. ^_^


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